How to determine the age of a rabbit: methods, comparison table by human standards

Rabbits are bred as pets or for dietary meat, furs. When purchasing a rodent, even an experienced zoologist cannot determine its exact age. The definition of this parameter is necessary in order to properly ensure the further life of the pet. How is the age of a rabbit determined, what characteristics do they pay attention to? There are a number of signs, which we will discuss below.

How to determine the age of a rabbit?

With a 100% probability, it is unlikely that it will be possible to determine the exact age of a fluffy animal. But by external signs, it is possible to find out how old the rabbit is.

Inspection of the animal is carried out in the following way:

1. Palpation of the ribs. If, upon palpation, it is noted that the bones of the ribs are rather soft, this indicates that the individual has not been around for more than half a year.
2. Teeth color. In young animals, they are even and white. Visually, the yellow color becomes noticeable after the year of the pet. The older the individual becomes, the more stains appear on the teeth. This is due to the fact that the animal eats solid foods, which gradually wear down the enamel.
3. Claw length. Before reaching puberty, the claws of the rabbit are soft, blood vessels are visible on them. By six months, they acquire a matte shade and harden. Breeders cut their nails to hide the age of the animal. But this is clearly visible during a visual inspection, so you should be careful when buying.
4. The condition of the eyelids. In babies, they are quite small, uniform in color. In adults, the eyelids are swollen and hang over the eye.
5. Appearance of wool. Babies don't have hair after birth. It appears after the first week of a pet's life, in the form of a light fluff. The rabbit is completely covered with hair at two weeks of age. A month later, molting begins, which lasts up to 2 months. Then the molting is repeated, the decorative animal has a thick, beautiful fur.

You can find out exactly how old a fluffy rodent is only if it is purchased with documents. They indicate the date of birth of the animal.

Determining the age of an individual by appearance is only possible approximately.

At what age can sex be determined?

After birth, rabbits stay with their mother for 30-35 days. During this period, it is impossible to find out the sex of babies even for a specialist. The breeder or livestock specialist determines the sex of the rabbit when it is two months old.At this age, they are separated from their mother and from each other. This is necessary so that related individuals do not begin to mate with each other. Such relationships lead to defective offspring.

It is important to determine the sex of rabbits by the age of two months, since at this period they begin puberty. The result of offspring will be affected not only by inbreeding, but also by incompletely formed genitals. Such matings can lead to the extinction of an entire species.

Methods of sex determination

When a rabbit reaches six months of age, even an inexperienced breeder will be able to identify a female or a male. To do this, a visual inspection is carried out according to primary and secondary signs.

The primary features include the animal's genitals. The reproductive system of females and males is different. In females, the genitals resemble a loop and a small tongue. The genitals are located close to the anus.In rabbits, they have a light pink color. In adults, the genitals are dark pink.

Reproductive organs of males outwardly resemble a cylinder with a hole, located further from the anus. In young animals, the penis is light in color, in an adult male it is more pink and swollen. A characteristic feature in an adult male is the testicles. They are well palpable and visible, they resemble two small balls.

Secondary features include: animal hair, mammary glands, torso proportions, shape of the skull. Sexual maturity is also determined by the behavior of the rabbit. Males mark their territory with urine, which emits a characteristic odor that is not characteristic of females. Males mark the space with their scent. They rub against the cage, the feeder, trying to leave a reminder of themselves.

Females are characterized by a different behavior: they dig new minks, equip their homes, improve living conditions in it. They can hide in secluded places. Rabbits are distinguished by a more balanced character, calm behavior.

Age by human standards: table

The natural life span of furry rodents is 6-8 years. Some individuals are able to live up to 10 years of age. By human standards, an eight-year-old individual is considered a long-liver. This age equates to almost 70 years of a person. In more detail, the ratio of the age of rabbits by human standards is shown in the table: human

2 weeks2 years3 weeks4 years4 weeks 6 years2 months8 years 3 months 4 months 12 years5 months 14 years6 months 16 years1 year 21 years old2 years old 27 years old3 years 33 years4 years 39 years old 45 years old 6 years51 years 7 years 57 years old 8 years old63 years old

10 years
	5 years old

Correct determination of the pet's age will help you get a he althy rabbit. Rodents bring only positive emotions, are not aggressive, quickly get used to the new owner. Proper care and attention while keeping a furry animal will extend its lifespan.

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